Widnes climbed off the bottom of the Super League table for the first time since their return to the elite this season with victory in another high-scoring thriller at the Stobart Stadium. The Vikings had claimed their first win of the season at the sixth attempt by stunning a below-strength Wigan 37-36 two weeks ago and followed that by beating London Broncos 38-30 on an unseasonably hot Cheshire afternoon.

Lloyd White, the promising Wales hooker who was snapped up by Widnes after the demise of the Crusaders at the end of last season, scored two tries but it was the former Wigan and Hull full-back Cameron Phelps who made the game's crucial contribution.

The Broncos had battled back from 24-6 behind to pull level at 30-30 until Phelps scored from Willie Isa's inside pass. Gareth O'Brien, a young half-back who seems to have made a big difference to Widnes since he joined them on loan from their local rivals Warrington before the Wigan game, added his sixth conversion and then kicked a penalty after London's Tony Clubb had been sent to the sin-bin.

Widnes leapfrogged London, who have still won only one match after eight fixtures, although they are kept off the bottom by Castleford, who suffered a 42-28 home defeat by Hull. "Nobody expected us to get off the bottom this season," said the Widnes coach, Denis Betts, whose team had gone into the game without a number of senior players including the former internationals Shaun Briscoe and Jon Clarke. "We are making progress day in and day out. Hard work is the key. We are improving on the back of some beatings by good sides."

"This defeat hurts," responded the Broncos coach, Rob Powell. "That is a ridiculous scoreline. We let them out of the blocks too quickly."

Hull climbed into the top four with their win at Castleford, their fourth on the trot. Danny Tickle followed his 34-point haul in last Sunday's demolition of Widnes with another 18 from a try and seven goals from as many attempts, and the former Cas forward Willie Manu scored two tries against his former club, whose full-back Richie Owen was involved in an angry exchange with some of Hull's substantial travelling support. It was the Tigers' seventh straight defeat since they won their first game of the season in the snow at Salford way back in early February.

Hull KR also claimed a notable victory to deny Huddersfield the chance to return to the top of the table. The Giants seemed well on course when they led 18-6 late in the first half, with the wing Luke George continuing his prolific form. But Rovers seized control of the match either side of half-time and ended up comfortable 40-22 winners, as Huddersfield ended without David Fa'alogo and their captain, Kevin Brown, who were both injured.

"We got what we deserved," said Nathan Brown, the Giants coach whose move to St Helens coach at the end of the season is expected to be confirmed this week. "Sometimes you have to take your hat off to the better team and that's how they were."

Wakefield Trinity sprung another surprise by beating the Catalan Dragons 32-22 to claim their first home win of the season, with the former England wing Peter Fox scoring two of their tries.

Salford brought Bradford's recent good run to an abrupt halt with a 36-18 win at Odsal which lifts the City Reds back into the top eight. The former St Helens forward Matty Ashurst scored two of Salford's seven tries.